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New Ibanez ARTB Series?

60bass

60bass

Gold Supporting Member
Apr 24, 2005
4,928
5,877
74
North Carolina
#1
Just took a look at the 09 Ibanez bass catalog. I find myself strangely attracted to the new ARTB basses. I love the look of the white one and the short scale appeals to me.

artb100wh.gif


The black looks nice too.

ARTB100BK.gif


Anybody seen / played one yet? If so any thoughts?

Keep Low :bassist:
 
#6
At $429.99 street price, I'm going to start having a GAS attack for one of these :)

So many manufacturers are ignoring the 30" short scale market. It's nice to see Ibanez doesn't think that way.

As soon as one of these shows up local, I'm going to give it a SERIOUS look :bassist:
 
#7
If you forgive my ignorance, and the slight detour off topic, but why does anyone want a 30" scale bass? I mean wouldn't this decrease the string tension and the tone would suffer? And if the string gauge is compensated to make up for that, wouldn't this lower the volume.
I don't have particularly large hands, probably even a below-average size, and I don't have any problems playing 34" scale basses.

Regarding the Ibanez, it looks awesome, also is the semi-acoustic version of it.
 
#9
woo10 said:
If you forgive my ignorance, and the slight detour off topic, but why does anyone want a 30" scale bass? I mean wouldn't this decrease the string tension and the tone would suffer? And if the string gauge is compensated to make up for that, wouldn't this lower the volume.
I don't have particularly large hands, probably even a below-average size, and I don't have any problems playing 34" scale basses.

Regarding the Ibanez, it looks awesome, also is the semi-acoustic version of it.
Click to expand...


I had a Gibson EB-O w/a 30" scale; it played & sounded fine. I'd imagine it(30")'s much more comfortable for some than 34" or 35".
 
#10
I play the Ibanez artcore, which is a long scale, semi-acoustic arch-top version of this style of bass. It is a fantastic piece of workmanship, it has great details, sound, and build quality for its price that would put more expensive basses to shame. I can recommend an Ibenez to anyone who has never tried one. I for one will be checking this out when it hits the UK.
 
#11
Fergie Fulton said:
I play the Ibanez artcore, which is a long scale, semi-acoustic arch-top version of this style of bass. It is a fantastic piece of workmanship, it has great details, sound, and build quality for its price that would put more expensive basses to shame. I can recommend an Ibenez to anyone who has never tried one. I for one will be checking this out when it hits the UK.
Click to expand...

Long scale version? You might wanna check that again my friend because the artcore series is 30" scale as well.
 
#12
woo10 said:
If you forgive my ignorance, and the slight detour off topic, but why does anyone want a 30" scale bass? I mean wouldn't this decrease the string tension and the tone would suffer? And if the string gauge is compensated to make up for that, wouldn't this lower the volume.
I don't have particularly large hands, probably even a below-average size, and I don't have any problems playing 34" scale basses.

Regarding the Ibanez, it looks awesome, also is the semi-acoustic version of it.
Click to expand...

I also have somewhat smaller hands and can play a 34" scale with ease.

I think the reason Gibson went with short scale basses was to give guitar players a somewhat similar scale length to make them more comfortable switching from bass to guitar. Leo Fender went with the long scale to make double bass players feel more at home with the electric.

Soundwise a 30" scale bass can kick just as much as long scale (ask Jack Bruce). I've always felt the difference tonewise to long scale was easily compensated for with strings and amp settings.

I prefer long scale but playing a short scale bass is just plain :) FUN :) you can really rip on that 30" scale. I often jam out in the front room with or without headphones while my Wife and Daughter are watching TV or whatever. Having the short neck makes it very easy to just kick it in a big arm chair without having the neck sticking out getting in everybody's way.

The more I think about it, the more I feel that I just have to make one more decision ... Black or White :D
 
#15
I was checking out a used SS hollowbody at Daddy's when I saw one of these on the wall. Tried it out as comparison, you know, ss vs ss, and I put it back IMMEDIATELY. I thought it sounded horrendous. Maybe it was the round wound strings. But I could find nothing appealing about it. Sorry. YMMV. Liked the look though.

Bill
 
#20
60bass said:
At $429.99 street price, I'm going to start having a GAS attack for one of these :)

So many manufacturers are ignoring the 30" short scale market. It's nice to see Ibanez doesn't think that way.

As soon as one of these shows up local, I'm going to give it a SERIOUS look :bassist:
Click to expand...

I got a black one, new on Ebay from a music store and got it for 359.99 on the best offer deal. It's awesome! I got the Mikro and the ARTB100.
 

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